GILFORD — Firefighters from several departments quickly contained a one-alarm fire Tuesday evening, after neighbors, upon hearing an alarm, went to the home in a condominium community and discovered smoke coming from the unoccupied dwelling.

Jim Mull. who lives close to the house in the Country Village Way complex off Route 11, said that he and another neighbor had received a call at the home about a burglar alarm going off inside the home, and found smoke coming through the front door.

"I dialed 911 and went down to my house," said Mull. "I had to call them back because the first phone call was cut off."

His daughter, Sarah Mull, said she found out about the fire when her father came down to the house.

"He said their house was on fire," she said. "He told me to take care of the dog ... we went up there and waited for the fire department to come."

Little damage was visible from the residence, with only a hole by the front door where the fire department knocked out the interior flames.

Lakes Region Mutual Fire Aid said that the call was sent out at 7:45 p.m. to the departments.

Gilford Fire Lt. Frank Latosek said that when they arrived at the location they had found a small amount of fire through the outside wall of the home, then continued into the home, where there was more smoke found in the cellar.

"We are not sure of the exact location (of where it started)," he said, adding that the fire was still under investigation.

Latosek said that the fire had gotten into a partition. Flames were also detected in the ceiling of the home.

"We knocked it out relatively quickly," he said.

Mull, who is also co-chair of the Gilford Police Facility Committee, said that if they had gotten there five or ten minutes later, the home might have been destroyed.

"The fire department did an excellent job, they really did," he said. "They were here quickly, too."

Sarah Mull said that the family, whom she identified as the Marsdens from Hudson, used the residence as a second home.

"They're really upset," she said. "They're on their way up right now."

Latosek said that the investigation would be conducted by Fire Chief Jim Hayes. Fire personnel and equipments from Belmont, Gilford and Laconia, helped to bring the fire under control.